Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their maiden home victory over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash
England's head coach has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded group announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and though South Africa cemented their top spot, George has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to step up a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. Additionally, have a clear gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each took knocks against the Islanders but have been included in the group preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present capacity to break away in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
